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"id": 947423,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/947423/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Mwaura",
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"speaker": {
"id": 13129,
"legal_name": "Isaac Maigua Mwaura",
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"content": "talk about a screwdriver?” I later got a formal apology through the Ambassador. His Excellency, the President, was also apologized to. What was interesting is that it actually happened again. When we were going to another venue to meet His Excellency the President, I was stopped again when we were with fellow Members of the Senate and the National Assembly. We had to explain again when we were followed up by the Secret Service. In fact, His Excellency the President was joking and asking whether I am a member of the Al Shabaab, Mujahidin or the leader of the National Rifle Association. I then got an apology from the US Ambassador to Kenya, and then it happened the third time. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, this is really serious because when I had conversations with other people – there is another Nigerian with albinism called Dr. Emutayo, who also went through the same – and listened to African Americans with albinism, they told me stories. One of them works as a security officer, and because of his looks, he has to hide every time a certain lady has to come into the building because that person says that they get scared. Another lady by the name Jenifer had to be denied her own children, ostensibly because she is legally blind, and as such then, she would not be able to take care of her children. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, persons with albinism are very unique. This is because we are black, but not black enough; we are white, but not white enough; we are disabled, but not disabled enough. We are in between. Therefore, when you look at how, for example, we are caricatured or represented, it goes ahead to show that we have a long way to go when it comes to the rights of persons with albinism, both in this country and abroad. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, a good number of western movies cast persons with albinism as pale white skinned, red eyed villains who possess some kind of supernatural powers. Therefore, in the subconscious of these white Secret Service agents, I was a typical representation of such a villain; which is one size that fits all description for all albinos, especially from Africa. To them, everyone who looks like me is very dangerous, and this is the secret of the Secret Service. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, if this can happen in America, how different is it from the ritual killings that happen in Africa against us, where over 600 persons with albinism have been killed in over 29 countries, mostly women and children? Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, such officialdom by agents of the States---"
}